Ventilating apparatus



' July 2, 1940.

G. w. M K EE VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 14,- 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l fizoeizzfir July 2, 1940. w. MCKEE VENTILATING APPARATUS SSheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 14, 1937 'jzoelzzr v v 62 49 M 4 A W Gar/2 July 2, 1949. G. -w. McKEE 2,206,858

VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. '14, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 JFK/67226? 607/26; W JfZ 9.71 66.

Patented July 2, 1940 UNITED STATES VENTILATING APPARATUS I Garnet w. McKee, Rockford, 111.

Application August 14,

9 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus for ventilating buildings such as dwellings and business establishments. More particularly the invention relates to that type of build- 6 ing ventilating apparatus which comprises an air outlet duct extending through one-of the walls of the building and leading from the building interior to the building exterior, an adjoining air inlet duct extending through such wall and 10 leading from the building exterior to the building interior, and a heat exchange device for transferring heat from the air flowing through one of the ducts to air flowing through the other duct.

One object of the invention is to provide a I. building ventilating apparatus of this type which is in the form of a small self-contained unit and not only is exceptionally eflicient in operation but also may be installed readily and produced at a comparatively low cost.

I) Another object of the invention is to provide device is composed of liquid filled radiator units which are arranged serially and comprise a group 8 of transversely extending fin-equipped tubes in the outlet duct, a group of transversely extending fin-equipped tubes in the inlet duct, and headers which extend across and are attached to the ends of the tubes and so connect the two groups of tubes that the liquid circulates successively therethrough and thus effects heat transfer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. building ventilating apparatus of the last mentioned character which includes a fan wheel at the inner or inlet end of the outlet duct and a fan wheel at the inner or outlet end of the inlet duct, and also includes an electric motor for driving the two wheels in such manner that the a one operates to draw air from the inside of the building into the outlet duct and to force the same around the fin-equipped tubes in the outlet duct, and thence out-f such duct, and the other operates to suck or draw air from the outside into the inlet duct and to cause such air to flow around the tubes in the inlet duct and then into the building interior.

A still further object of the invention is to 0 provide a building ventilating apparatus which is generally of new and improved construction and in which the various operating parts are disposed in a housing which forms the two air ducts and includes partition members for housing the electric motor and causing the air to 1937, Serial No. 159,105 (Cl. 257-1) travel in intimate contact with the fln-equipped tubes of the liquid filled-radiator unit.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present ventilating apparatus will be apparent from a s :ionsiderationof the following detailed descrip- The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective of a building ventilating apparatus embodying one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating in detail the construction and arrangement of the radiator units constituting the heat transfer device;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and illustrating in detail the manner in which the outside air is drawn through the fin-equipped tubes in the outlet duct;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line, 4-4 of Figure 3 and showing in getail the arrangement of the tubes in the two air ucts;

Figure 51s a vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 and illustrating the construction and arrangement of the fan wheels at the inner ends of the air ducts;

Figure 6 is a'horizontal sectional view of a ventilating apparatus embodying another form of the invention; and

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 6.

The ventilating apparatus which is shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings constitutes one form or embodiment of the invention. It is shown in connection with a building having an outer wall W and comprises as the main parts thereof an elongated box-like housing 6, and a heat exchanging device 1.

The housing 6 extends through an opening 8 in the building wall W and is arranged so that one end thereof projects inside the wall and its other end projects outside of the wall. It serves to house the heat exchange device I and consists of a bottom 9, a pair of end-walls III, a pair of side walls H and 12, a top l3. and a centrally disposed partition 14. The end walls are im- 5 perforate and extend between the bottom 9 and the top 13. The side walls are the same in height as the end walls and extend between the latter and also the side edges of the bottom and top of the housing. The partition H extends lengthwise of the housing and is equal in height to the end and side walls. It fits between the top and bottom of the housing and abuts its ends against the end walls. The side wall defines with the partition M an air outlet duct |5 and has a tubular air inlet ||i at its inner end and an air outlet l1 at its outer end. During operation of the apparatus, air is adapted to flow from the inside of the building into the inlet l6 and thence through the outlet duct I5 and the outlet IT to the building exterior. The side wall |2 defines with the partition M an air inlet duct l8 and has an air inlet |9 at its outer end and an outlet 20 at its inner end. When the apparatus is in operation, air as hereinafter described, is adapted to pass or flow into theinlet duct l8 via the inlet I9 and then after passing through the duct I! to pass into the building via the outlet 20.

The apparatus of Figures 1 to 5 is adapted primarily for use when the building heating apparatus is in operation and the heat exchange device 1 serves to transfer the heat from the warm air flowing out through the outlet duct 5 to the cold incoming air flowing inwards through the inlet duct l8. The said heat exchange device I is disposed in the outer end of the housing 6 and consists of a pair of radiator u'nits 2| and 22. The unit 2| is disposed inwardly of the unit 22 and consists of a group of vertically extending tin-equipped tubes 23 in the air outlet duct l5, and a group of vertically extending fin-equipped tubes 24 in the air inlet duct l8, a lower header 25, and an upper header 26. The lower header is positioned substantially horizontally and extends transversely of the housing and through a slot 21 in the lower portion of the partition M. The end of the lower header in the air outlet duct l5, extends across and is attached to the lower ends of the tubes 23 and the other end of the lower header, that is, the end in the air inlet duct I8 extends across and is connected to the lower ends of the tubes 24. The upper header 26 overlies and is spaced above the lower header and is substantially horizontally positioned. It extends through a slot 28 in the upper portion of the partition l4 and has the end thereof in the air outlet duct l5 connected to the upper ends of the tubes 23. The other end of the upper header, that is, the end in the air inlet duct |8 extends across and is connected to the upper ends of the fin-equipped tubes 24. The tubes and headers of the unit 2| are filled with a liquid such as alcohol or any other anti-freeze solution. When the apparatus is in operation with warm air on the inside flowing outwards through the outlet duct I5 and cold outside air flowing inwards into the building via the duct 8, the liquid in the unit 2| circulates upwards through the tubes 23 and thence horizontally across the upper header, then downwards through the tubes 24 and then back to the tubes 23 via the lower header 25. During upward circulation of the liquid in the tubes 23 heat is absorbed from the air flowing outwards through the outlet duct |5 and during downward circulation of the liquid through the tubes 24 the absorbed heat is transmitted to and serves to heat the cool or cold incoming air flowing into the building via the inlet duct |8. The unit 2| operates according to the thermo siphonic principle and serves to remove the heat from the outgoing air, that is, the air passing through the outlet duct and to transfer such heat to the cool air with substantially no heat loss. The tubes 23 are separated from the tubes 24 in the inlet duct |8 by the central portion of the partition l4. The upper header 26 of the unit 2| is provided with a hole 29 for introducing the liquid into the unit. This opening 29 is closed by a removable screw plug 30. By employing alcohol or an anti-freeze solution, there is no likelihood of the liquid in the unit freezing and thus ceasing to circulate during extremely cold weather. The unit 22 is positioned in abutting relation with the outer face of the unit 2| and is the same as the latter in design or construction. It serves to assist the unit 2| in transferring the heat from the outgoing air to the incoming air, that is, the air flowing through the inlet duct l8, and consists of a group of vertically extending fin-equipped tubes 3| in the air outlet duct I5, a group of outwardly extending fin-equipped tubes 32 in the inlet duct 8, a lower header 33, and an upper header 34. The lower and upper headers extend transversely of the housing and project respectively throughslots 35 and 36 in the partition 4. The ends of the headers 33 and 34 in the outlet duct |5 are connected to the ends of the tubes 3| and the other ends of the headers, that is, the ends in the inlet duct l8 are connected to the tubes 32. The unit 22 is filled with liquid similarly to the unit 2| and, as hereinbefore pointed out, functions like the latter in that the liquid therein circulates upwards through the tubes 3| and thence across the upper header 34 and downwards through the tubes 32, and then back to the tubes 3| via the lower header 33. The air flowing through the outlet duct 5 is caused to flow around the tubes 23 and 3| of the radiator units 2| and 22 by means of a side plate 31 and a cross wall 38. The side plate fits against the outermost tubes 23 and 3| and between the adjacent ends of the upper and lower heads of the two units 2| and 22 and'the cross wall 38 extends between the side plate 31 and the side wall II of the housing and in addition, between the upper headers and the housing top l3 and between the lower headers and the housing bottom 9. In view of the arrangement and design of the side plate 31 and the cross-wall 38 the hot or warm air entering the outlet duct I5 is caused to pass first around the tubes 23 and then around the tubes 3| and cannot pass between the units and the side wall air entering the inlet duct I8 is caused to flow first around the tubes 32 of the unit 22 and then around the tubes 24 of the unit 2| by means of a side plate 39 and a cross-wall 40. The side plate 39 fits against the outermost tubes in the outlet duct and between the adjacent ends of the upper and lower headers. The cross-wall 40 is aligned with the cross-wall 38 in the outlet duct and extends between the plate39 and the side wall I2 and also between the adjoining ends of the upper headers and the housing top and between the adjacent ends of the lower headers and the housing bottom,

The cold- In addition to the duct forming housing 6 and end of the duct forming partition |4. As shown in Figure 5, the casing extends between the housing bottom and top and isolates the motor from the air passing through the two longitudinal ducts in the housing. One end of the armature shaft 44 extends through one of the side pieces of the casing and projects into the inlet end of the outlet duct l5, and the other end of the shaft extends through the other side piece of the casing and projects into the outlet end of the inlet duct l8. The fan wheel 4| is positioned between the air inlet at the inner or inlet end of the outlet duct I5 and the adjacent side piece of the U-shaped casing 45 for the motor 43. It

comprises a hub 46, an inner imperforate circular plate 41, an annular ring-shaped plate 48, and an annular series of vanes 49. The hub of the fan wheel 4| is keyed or otherwise fixedly secured to the end of the armature shaft 44 in the inlet duct. The circularplate 41 is fixed to the inner portion of the hub 46 and is spaced from the ringshaped plate 48 by the vanes 49. The latter extend between the outer margin of the plate 41 and the inner face of the ring-shaped plate 48 and operate when the fan wheel 4| is driven by the electric motor 43 to draw air from the building interior through the tubular air inlet l5 into the inlet end of the outlet duct l5 and then to force such air under pressure outwards around the tubes 23 and 3| of the radiator units and thence to the building exterior by way of the outlet IT in the outer end of the side wall H of the housing. As shown in Figures 2 and 5 the fan wheel 4| is positioned concentrically with respect to the tubular inlet IS. The fan wheel 42 is located in the outlet 20 at the inner or discharge end of the air inlet duct l8. It is similar in general design to the fan wheel 4| and consists of a hub 50, an outer imperforate disk-like plate 5|, an inner ring-shaped plate 52, and an annular series of vanes 53. The hub is fixedly secured to the end of the armature shaft which projects through the duct IS. The outer plate 5| is fixed to the outer portion of the hub 50 and carries at the outer margin thereof the vanes 53. The ring-shaped plate 52 is spaced inwardly of the outer marginal portion of the plate 5| and is secured to the vanes 52. The outlet 20 is in the form of a metallic ring and comprises an inwardly tapered annular wall 54, around the fan wheel 42. When the motor is in operation the vanes 53 of the fan wheel 42 operate to suck or draw air from the building exterior into the duct l8 via the inlet 9 and cause such air to flow past or around the tubes 32 and 24 of the radiator units and then through the outlet 20 to the. building interior. By reason of the fact that the wall 54 of the outlet is inwardly tapered the air leaving the vanes 53 is directed outwards into the space around the inner end of the housing. The fan wheels 4| and 42 are conjointly driven in view of the fact that they are mounted on opposite ends of the armature shaft 44 of the motor.

When it is desired to ventilate the building while the heating. plant thereof is in operation due to cold weather, the electric motor 43 is started. As soon as current is supplied to the motor the armature shaft 44 starts to rotate and operates to drive the fan wheels 4| and 42. The fan wheel 4|, as hereinbefore pointed out, operates to draw warm or heated air from the building interior into the outlet duct l5 via the inlet I6 and forces such air around or past the fin-equipped tubes 23 and 3| of the radiator units of the heat exchange device and thence to the building exterior viathe outlet While warm air is passing through the outlet duct, cold air, as the result of operation of the fan wheel 42, flows into the inlet end of the air inlet duct I8 and passes around the fin-equipped tubes 32 and 24 of the radiator units andthence to the building interior via the outlet 20. As the warm air passes through the duct l5 and comes in contact with the tubes 23 and 3|, the liquid in such tubes absorbs ,the heat from the air and commences to circulate around the units. As the cold air passing through the duct It! comes in contact with the tubes 32 and 24 it absorbs the heat from the liquid, and

hence enters the building interior in a heated condition. By reason of the fact that the liquid in the radiator units of the heat exchange device 'I circulates at all times during operation of the apparatus, the airpassing through the outlet duct I 5 is absorbed and transmitted to the air passing through the inlet duct l8 into the building interior. Because of the action of the liquid an eflicient heat transfer is effected and there is substantially no heat loss during the ventilating operation.

The ventilating apparatus heretofore described is in effect a heat economizer, and due to its specific design and construction operates in an exceptionally eflicient manner. It serves during operation to provide an'inflow of fresh air from the building exterior without a substantial loss of heat from the exhausted air and may be manufactured at a comparatively low 'cost due to its simplicity. Because the apparatus is compact and is in the form of a self-contained unit, it may be readily installed andoccupies when in its operative position, buta small amount of space.

The apparatus which is shown in F ures 6 and 7.constitutes another form or embodiment of the invention. It is shown in connection with a building having an outer wall W and an 'air conditioner 55, and comprises as the main parts thereof, an elongated box-like housing 56 and a heat exchange device 51. The air conditioner 55 is shown diagrammatically. It is disposed in the building in close proximity to the wall W and comprises an elongated housing 58 and a blower 59. The casing extends-horizontally and embodies a cross-wall 60 whereby the interior thereof is divided into a suction chamber 6|- and a pressure chamber 62. The suction chamber is connected to receive air from a trunk 63 having a cooling coil or evaporator 64 therein for chilling or refrigerating theair. The pressure chamber 62 embodies an outlet trunk 65. The two trunks lead to different portions of the building interior with the result that when the blower 59 is in operation air is drawn into the suction chamber 6| via the trunk 63 and then forced back into the building interior by way of the pressure chamber 62 and the trunk 65. As the air passes through the trunk 63 it is cooled as the result of contact with the cooling coil 64. The blower 59 is disposed in the suction chamber GI and consists of a casing 66 and a fan equipped rotor 61. The casing issubstantially cylindrical and embodies a central inlet opening 68 in one end thereof and has a peripheral outlet 69 leading through the cross wall 60 and communicating with the pressure chamber 62. The inlet opening 68 leads to, or communicates with, the suction chamber 6|. The rotor 61 is driven by an electric motor 10 through the medium of a pulley and suck air into the suction chamber and to force it under pressure back into the building interior via the pressure chamber 62 and the trunk 65. The box-like housing 56 extends through an opening I2 in the wall WI and has a centrally disposed partition 13 forming an air inlet duct 14 at one side-thereof and an air outlet duct 15 at its other side. The air inlet duct is adapted to receive air from the building exterior via an inlet 16 and is connected at its inner end to the suction chamber 6! in the air conditioner housing 56 by a conduit 11. The air outlet duct 15 is connected to receive air from the pressure chamber 62 by way of a duct I8 and has an outlet 19 at its outer end. The conduit 11 is relatively small in diameter and operates during operation of the blower to admit a small amount of fresh outside air into the building. The conduit 18 is substantially the same in cross-sectional area as the conduit I1 and permits of outflow of the air which is displaced by the fresh air entering the building via the conduit H. The heat exchange device 51 comprises a pair of radiator units 80 and 8|. These units are the same in design and character as the units 2| and 22 of the heat exchanging device of the apparatus of Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, and comprise groups of vertically extending tubes, upper headers across the upper ends of the tubes, and lower headers across the lower ends of the tubes. As shown in Figure 6 the two units are disposed in the box-like housing 56 and are arranged so that half of the tubes are disposed in the inlet duct 14 and the remainder in the outlet duct 15. When the air conditioner is in operation and outside air flows through the inlet duct 14 and inside cool air flows through the outlet duct I5 the cool air cools the liquid in the radiator units and results in a cooling of the fresh air flowing through the duct 14. By employing the apparatus with the air conditioner provision is made' for absorbing the heat from the incoming fresh air.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A ventilating apparatus comprising in combination, a duct for flowing air in one direction, an adjoining duct adapted to flow air at a lower temperature in the opposite direction and having the ends thereof disconnected or separate from the ends of the first mentioned duct, and a heat exchanger inthe form of a fluid filled radiator unit and embodying a group of open ended parallelly arranged tubes in said first mentioned duct, a group of open ended parallelly arranged tubes in the second mentioned duct and positioned in parallel relation with the first mentioned group, and laterally spaced headers extending transversely of and into the two ducts and attached to the ends of the tubes and so connecting the two groups of tubes that the fluid is free to circulate successively and uninterruptedly therethrough and operates to absorb the heat of the air in the first mentioned duct and to transfer such heat to the air in said second mentioned duct.

2. A building ventilating apparatus comprising in combination, a discharge duct for flowing air from the building interior to thebuilding exterior, an adjoining inlet duct for flowing air from the building exterior to the building interior. and a heat exchange device in the form of a liquid filled radiator unit and embodying a group of substantially vertical fin-equipped tubes in the inlet duct, a group of substantially vertical finequipped tubes in the outlet duct, and horizontal headers extending between and. through the ducts and attached to the ends of the tubes and so connecting the two groups that the liquid circulates successively therethrough and operates to absorb the heat of the air in one of the ducts and transfer such heat to the air in the other duct.

3. A ventilating apparatus comprising in combination, a horizontal duct for flowing heated air in one direction, an adjoining horizontal duct adapted to flow air at a lower temperature in the opposite direction and having the discharge end thereof disconnected or separate from the inlet end of the first mentioned duct, and a heat exchanger in the form of a liquid filled radiator unit and embodying a group of vertical open ended tubes in the first mentioned duct, a group of vertical open ended'tubes in the second mentioned duct, and horizontal headers extending between and through the two ducts and attached to the .ends of the tubes and so connecting the two groups of tubes that the liquid circulates successively and uninterruptedly therethrough and operates to absorb the heat of the air in the first mentioned duct and to transfer such heat to the air in the second mentioned duct.

4. A ventilating unit comprising in combination, a horizontal duct adapted to have air pass through it in one direction, an adjoining horizontal duct adapted to have air at a lower temperature pass through it in the opposite direction and having the ends thereof disconnected or separate from the ends of the first mentioned duct, and a heat exchanging device composed of a longitudinal series of liquid filled radiator units each embodying a group of vertical open ended tubes in the first-mientioned duct, a group of vertical open ended tubes in the second mentioned duct, and horizontal headers extending between and through the two ducts and attached to the ends of the tubes and so connecting the two groups of tubes that the liquid circulates successively and uninterruptedly therethrough and operates to absorb the heat from the air in the first mentioned duct andto transfer such heat to the air in the second mentioned duct.

5. A ventilating apparatus comprising in combination, an elongated horizontally positioned housing provided with a central upstanding 1ongitudinally extending partition therein and having at one side of the partition an outlet duct for warm air and on the other side of such partition a cool air inlet duct with the ends thereof disconnected or separate from the ends of said outlet duct, and a heat exchange device in the form of a liquid filled radiator unit and embodying a group of vertical open ended tubes in the outlet duct, a group of vertical open ended tubes in the inlet duct, and upper and lower headers extending through the partition and into the two ducts and. having the ends thereof extending transversely across and attached to the ends of the tubes and so connecting the two groups of tubes that the liquid circulates successively and uninterruptedly therethrough and operates to absorb heat from the air in the outlet duct and to transfer such heat to the air in the inlet duct.

6. A ventilating apparatus comprising in combination, a duct adapted to have heated air pass therethrough, an adjoining duct adapted to have cool air pass through it, a heat exchange device in the form of a liquid filled radiator unit and embodying a group of substantially vertical tubes in the first mentioned duct, a group of substantially vertically extending tubes in the second mentioned duct, and headers extending across and attached to the ends of the tubes and so connecting' the two groups that the liquidcirculates successively therethrough and operates to absorb heat from the air in said first mentioned duct and transfer such heat to the air in the second mentioned. duct, a m'otor driven fan wheel for flowing the heated air through said first mentioned duct and around the first mentioned group of tubes, and a motor driven fan wheel for flowing the cool air through the second mentioned duct and around the second mentioned group of tubes.

7. A ventilating apparatus comprising in combination, a duct adapted to have heated air pass therethrough, an adjoining duct adapted to have cool air pass through it, a heat exchange device in the form of a liquid filled radiator unit and embodying a group of substantially vertical tubes in the first mentioned duct, a group of substantially vertically extending tubes in the second mentioned duct, and headers extending across and attached to the ends of the tubes and so connecting the two groups that the liquid circulates successively therethrough and operates to absorb heat from the air in said first mentioned duct and transfer such heat to the air in the second mentioned duct, a fan wheel for causing the heated air to flow through said first mentioned duct and around the first mentioned group-of tubes, a fan wheel for causing the cool air to flow through the second mentioned duct and around the second mentioned group of tubes, anda motor for conjointly driving the two fan wheels.

8. A ventilating apparatus of the character described comprising in combination, an elongated housing provided with a centrally disposed longitudinally extending partition, and having a discharge duct for hot air at one side of the partition and an inlet duct for cold air at the other side of the partition, a heat exchanger in the form of a liquid filled radiator unit and embodying a group of substantially vertical fin-equipped tubes in the outlet duct, 8. group of substantially vertical fln-equipped tubes in the inlet duct, and substantially horizontal headers extending through the partition and attached to the upper and lower ends of the tubes and so connecting the two groups of tubes that the liquid circulates successively therethrough and operates to absorb heat from the air in the outlet duct and to transfer such heat to the air in the inlet duct, a fan wheel for flowing hot air through the outlet duct, a fan wheel for flowing cool air through the inlet duct, and an electric motor disposed in the housing and connected to drive conjointly the two fan wheels.

9. A ventilating apparatus comprising in combination, a duct adapted to have heated air pass therethrough, an adjoining duct adapted to have cool air pass through it and having the ends thereof disconnected or separate from the first mentioned duct, a heat exchange device in the form of a fluid filledradiator unit embodying a group of open ended parallelly arranged tubes in said first mentioned duct, a group of open ended parallelly arranged tubes in the second mentioned duct and laterally spaced headers extending between and through the two ducts and attached to the ends of the tubes and so connecting the two groups of tubes that the fluid circulates successivelyand uninterruptediy therethrough and operates to absorb the heat from the air in said first mentioned duct and to transfer such heat to the air in the second mentioned duct, a motor driven fan wheel for flowing the heated air through said first mentioned duct and around the first mentioned group of tubes, and a motor driven fan wheel for flowing the cool air through the second mentioned duct and around the second mentioned group of tubes.

GARNET W. McKEE. 

